Morris tribune., 1887-12-28
General Law Business
Transacted.
TRYING THE NERVES.
An EntomoIOSist's Feelings While a T

An EntOmoIOCist's Feelings While Ta-
rantuIa Was Crawling Over His Face.
Out on Dearborn avenue, near Lincoln
park. lives man whose hobby is bugs
not live bugs with vicious teeth and vlru-
lent fangs, but bugs irhpaled upon pieces
of cardboard and kept in glass cases.
Herbert Edgerton, the possessor OF the
collection. was at home when the re-
porter called upon him the other day.
He conducted the visitor to a coy little
den in the rear of the house, which was
fitted up with number of cabinets, the
doors of which were appropriately let
tered. ''I've lots of specimens, said he,
''but here is one that value above all
others, though it is not at all rare" Mr..
Edgerton took piece of cardboard from
the cabinet and placed it upon the table.
Pinned to it was large hairy spider
which was easily recognized as taran-
lula. Il was at Camp Grant, A. T.,
three summers ago. continued the
speaker, Visiting cousin of mine who
is in the army. One day, while we were
out shooting, lay down in the sand to
get a few moments rest. We had rid
den a good many miles that day, and as
thought would wait for them to come
up. So tethered my horse and was
soon stretched at full length upon the
sand. I fell into a sort of a doze and
was awakened by horrible feeling on
my face. You know mans mind acts
quickly under such circumstances, and
it didn't take me an instant to realize
that tarantula was crawling over my
face. If he stung me I knew I was a
dead man, but if he simply crawled over
my face and away into the sand / would
suffer no i'll results. My only recourse
was to keep perfectly quiet and trust to
luck, for as soon as I moved the chances
were that the poison would penetrate
the skin and be coursing through my
veins.
81 closed my eyes and stopped breath
ing. SO fearful was that the tarantula
would be disturbed. Each one of his feet
felt like red hot iron, and seemed to be
burning deep hole in my cheek. The
tarantula didn't seem to be in the least
hurry, as he remained nearly minute
upon my face, and [ was on the point of
brushing him off with my hand and TAX
ing chances of being bitten, when he
crawled off. l lay perfectly still for a
moment, and when l got to my feet was
trembling so violently that I couldn't I'M
tether the horse. A big draught from a
flask of brandy soon pulled me together,
and determined to get that tarantula
for my collection. fastened a small two
tined fork to a ramrod which l used for
that purpose, and started after the bug.
impaled him without any trouble, and
he now has the place of honor in my col
lection wouldn't pass another minute
| like that, though, for all the collections in
the world.
"Here, continued Mr.. Edgerton, point
ing to an insect nearly four inches in
length, lis rare specimen. 1t is an
| elephant beetle--the largest of the Scara-
beus family. South Africa is the only
place where it is found. and there are but
| few specimens in this country. This was
sent to me by friend of mine who is a
great traveller and who has been in every
| inhaGitable country in the world. Cen
| tipedes are common enough, but this one
here, - taking cardboard from one of
the cabinets, twas a murderer. Several
years ago [ passed several days in hotel
in Albuquerque, N. NJ. Though it was
nothing but 'dobe building, there were
a number of prominent people there,
among them being q family of rich Mex
leans by the name of Alvuarez. One of
the daughters OF Alvuarez-a beautiful
girl about 16-awakened the nurse one
night with loud scream. How it hap
pened no one knows, but in some way a
centipede had found its way into her bed
and stung her. All the known restora-
tives were applied, but the poor girl did
not recover. The centipede was found
and killed, and begged it for my collec-
ton. As you can see, it is not very
good specimen, as it is badly mangled;
but prize it for its history. I've great
many more specimens, concluded Mr..
Edgerton, ''but these are the only ones
which have any particular story connect
ed with them.'